Duale Flies to Somalia to Discuss Al Shabaab, Equipment Handover

Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale flew to Mogadishu for a series of meetings with Somalia’s top officials among them the war against al shabaab.

Duale was Wednesday in Somalia where he met President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre and the senior officials from the Somali Defence Forces.

The meeting also saw Kenya Defence Forces hand over equipment to Somalia troops.

Duale stated that while in Mogadishu, they discussed the security situation of the region with focus on furthering our cooperation in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism.

“Kenya takes pride in its contributory role in the restoration of peace and stability in Somali which has brought tremendous socio-economic gains to the country and region at large,” he said.

Duale emphasized that security was one of the key elements of economic development and that the two countries should join hands in the fight against terrorism.

He assured President Hassan Sheikh of Kenya’s commitment to a stable Somalia for the economic prosperity of the region.

He expressed commitment to support what they will need in the fight against the terror group and any related terror groups.

Also present were the colleague Minister of Defence (Somali) Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur and Chief of Defence Forces Brigadier General Ibrahim Sheikh Muhyadin Addow.

Duale on the other hand was accompanied by the Maj Gen Fred Leuria the ACDF OPD&T, Col Duncan Keitany Col Ops at the Defence Headquarters, Col(Dr) Edward Mackutwa, Col John Mnjala and other officers from the Defence Headquarters in Nairobi.

Al shabaab militants have been crossing the main porous Kenya-Somalia border to attack Kenyan security agencies and civilians.

This has led to the deaths of hundreds in the past ten years alone. This is also despite the presence of Kenyan troops in Somalia to help contain the terror group’s activities.

The attacks have prompted Kenya to postpone the official opening of the main border which was closed more than ten years.

There is an ongoing security operations against the terror groups both in Somalia and Kenya.